SPYM vs. IAU
SPYM (State Street SPDR Portfolio S&P 500 ETF) and IAU (iShares Gold Trust) are both exchange-traded funds - SPYM is a S&P 500 fund tracking the S&P 500 Index, while IAU is a Gold fund tracking the LBMA Gold Price. Both are passively managed. Over the past 10 years, SPYM returned 15.52%/yr vs 12.31%/yr for IAU. At a 0.06 correlation, their price movements are largely independent. SPYM charges 0.02%/yr vs 0.25%/yr for IAU.
Performance
SPYM vs. IAU - Performance Comparison
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Returns By Period
In the year-to-date period, SPYM achieves a 9.10% return, which is significantly higher than IAU's -2.44% return. Over the past 10 years, SPYM has outperformed IAU with an annualized return of 15.52%, while IAU has yielded a comparatively lower 12.31% annualized return.
SPYM
- 1D
- 0.53%
- 1M
- -0.85%
- YTD
- 9.10%
- 6M
- 9.42%
- 1Y
- 25.76%
- 3Y*
- 20.95%
- 5Y*
- 13.43%
- 10Y*
- 15.52%
IAU
- 1D
- 0.08%
- 1M
- -9.54%
- YTD
- -2.44%
- 6M
- -2.22%
- 1Y
- 22.32%
- 3Y*
- 29.07%
- 5Y*
- 17.23%
- 10Y*
- 12.31%
SPYM vs. IAU - Yearly Performance Comparison
| 2026 (YTD) | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
SPYM State Street SPDR Portfolio S&P 500 ETF | 9.10% | 17.79% | 25.00% | 26.24% | -18.09% | 28.78% | 18.49% | 31.99% | -4.78% | 21.30% |
IAU iShares Gold Trust | -2.44% | 63.95% | 26.85% | 12.84% | -0.63% | -4.00% | 25.03% | 17.98% | -1.76% | 12.91% |
Correlation
The correlation between SPYM and IAU is 0.24, which is low. Their price movements are largely independent, making them effective diversification partners.
| Correlation | |
|---|---|
Correlation (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 0.24 |
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period | 0.17 |
Correlation (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | 0.13 |
Correlation (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period | 0.07 |
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Nov 15, 2005 | 0.06 |
The correlation between SPYM and IAU shifts across timeframes, from 0.06 (all time) to 0.24 (1 year), reflecting how their relationship changes across market environments.
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Return for Risk
SPYM vs. IAU — Risk / Return Rank
SPYM
IAU
SPYM vs. IAU - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison
This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for State Street SPDR Portfolio S&P 500 ETF (SPYM) and iShares Gold Trust (IAU). Risk-adjusted metrics are performance indicators that assess an investment's returns in relation to its risk, enabling a more accurate comparison of different investment options.
Values are calculated on a 1-year rolling basis and updated daily. Risk-adjusted metrics are more stable over longer periods — use the period switch above to explore them.
| SPYM | IAU | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | +1.11 | ||
| Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | +1.45 | ||
| Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 1.36 | 1.19 | +0.18 |
| Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | 2.75 | 0.99 | +1.76 |
| Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | 12.42 | 2.83 | +9.59 |
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Drawdowns
SPYM vs. IAU - Drawdown Comparison
The maximum SPYM drawdown since its inception was -54.46%, which is greater than IAU's maximum drawdown of -45.14%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for SPYM and IAU.
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Drawdown Indicators
| SPYM | IAU | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -54.46% | -45.14% | -9.32% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -8.90% | -24.40% | +15.50% |
Max Drawdown (3Y)Largest decline over 3 years | -18.72% | -24.40% | +5.68% |
Max Drawdown (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | -24.48% | -24.40% | -0.08% |
Max Drawdown (10Y)Largest decline over 10 years | -33.87% | -24.40% | -9.47% |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | -2.35% | -22.03% | +19.68% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -7.15% | -15.97% | +8.82% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 1.97% | 8.47% | -6.50% |
Volatility
SPYM vs. IAU - Volatility Comparison
The current volatility for State Street SPDR Portfolio S&P 500 ETF (SPYM) is 4.33%, while iShares Gold Trust (IAU) has a volatility of 7.70%. This indicates that SPYM experiences smaller price fluctuations and is considered to be less risky than IAU based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.
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Volatility by Period
| SPYM | IAU | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Volatility (1M)Calculated over the trailing 1-month period | 4.33% | 7.70% | -3.37% |
Volatility (6M)Calculated over the trailing 6-month period | 9.58% | 23.94% | -14.36% |
Volatility (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 12.26% | 27.17% | -14.91% |
Volatility (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized | 16.87% | 18.16% | -1.29% |
Volatility (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized | 18.03% | 16.02% | +2.01% |
SPYM vs. IAU - Expense Ratio Comparison
SPYM has a 0.02% expense ratio, which is lower than IAU's 0.25% expense ratio. Despite the difference, both funds are considered low-cost compared to the broader market, where average expense ratios usually range from 0.3% to 0.9%.
Dividends
SPYM vs. IAU - Dividend Comparison
SPYM's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 1.29%, while IAU has not paid dividends to shareholders.
| Position | TTM | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
IAU iShares Gold Trust | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% |
SPYM State Street SPDR Portfolio S&P 500 ETF | 1.29% | 1.13% | 1.28% | 1.44% | 1.69% | 1.25% | 1.54% | 1.79% | 2.23% | 1.75% | 1.97% | 1.98% |
Frequently Asked Questions
SPYM and IAU have a correlation of 0.24, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.
IAU has higher volatility (7.70%) compared to SPYM (4.33%). In terms of maximum drawdown, SPYM dropped -54.46% vs IAU's -45.14%.
On 10-year performance, SPYM leads with 15.52% vs 12.31% for IAU. On fees, SPYM is cheaper at 0.02% per year. On volatility, SPYM has been the lower-risk option at 4.33%. The better choice depends on whether you care most about return, fees, risk, or income.
Over the 10-year period, SPYM has performed better with a 15.52% return vs 12.31%. Past performance does not guarantee future results, so compare this with risk, fees, and fund exposure.
SPYM is cheaper with a 0.02% expense ratio, compared with 0.25% for IAU.
SPYM has the higher dividend yield at 1.29%, compared with 0.00% for IAU.
SPYM is categorized as S&P 500, while IAU is Gold. SPYM tracks S&P 500 Index, while IAU tracks LBMA Gold Price. They also come from different issuers: State Street and iShares. Their fees differ too: 0.02% for SPYM and 0.25% for IAU.
SPYM currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (2.00 vs 0.89), meaning it's delivered slightly more return per unit of risk over the trailing 12 months. However, this ranking shifts over time - use the Risk/Return Score above for a more comprehensive view that combines Sharpe, Sortino, and other measures used by quantitative funds.
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